The Story Behind the Hook
by Tejastar
Summary: Many have heard of Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland with Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys and Wendy. Many have even heard of Captain Hook, Peter's archnemesis. But few have heard his side of the story...
1. Chapter 1

_Tick. Tick._

As I stare through my spyglass, I see the boy playing on the beach with the other eight Lost Boys and the new girl. I can even make out the glow near his head that means the divine Tinker Belle is, as usual, with him. I suck in my breath as he jumps off of a mini cliff and floats down to the Mermaid Lagoon. This boy is impossible to kill.

_Tick. Tick._

"How could he be of any worth to anyone?" I wonder as I graze my hook along the spines of the books in my cabin on deck. I hook the edge of _The Adventures of Blackbeard_ and open it to the first page. Unscrewing my hook, I screwed on my single finger and licked it, ready to turn the page. I read for an hour or two, losing track of time. The only thing that pulled me from my book was my stomach. I was extremely hungry, and my stomach just confirmed the fact. "SMEE!" I yell. The small round man skitters into the room. "Yes, master?" he asks. "Get me something to eat. Something nice. I think I'm in the mood for some caviar. Or maybe some lobster." "Yes master. Right away master." The idiot of a man scurries away, eager to do my bidding. He knows how temperamental I can be, and is always on edge. I like to keep him that way.

_Tick. Tick._

Half an hour later, he comes back with a plate of shrimp. "What's this?" I ask, scornfully picking at the limp shrimp with my screwed on fork. "Where's my lobster?"

"We don't have any lobster in this area, sir." Smee replied, slowly backing away from my fork. I could be lethal with the utensil, as his bottom has told him multiple times before every time he tries to sit down. I sighed. "Very well, Smee," I say, and I start to pick at my shrimp. "By the way, have you had any sighting of the beast?"

"No master, none today. The croco-" "DON'T SAY ITS NAME!" I screamed, jumping to my feet. My boots clicked and my coat swished as I stalked toward him menacingly. "How many times must I tell you! DON'T SAY THE NAME! It shall be called the beast and that is final." I glared at the little man cowering in the corner, his bandana slipping over his eye. "And you are an idiot or a liar. That beast has been around here somewhere. I hear its ticking constantly, it is almost like it is in my head! Don't lie to me, and keep a better lookout! I'm watching you Smee. Always watching." "Yes master," he whimpers as he scurries away.

_Tick. Tick._

The faint sound of laughter carries on the wind toward the ship, and transports me back to a time of laughter and games. I close my eyes, and in my mind I see a large ship sporting the Jolly Roger resting in the water. It's the midday meal for the crew, and as they eat, a young boy runs around trying to find his brother and sister. Running out the door of the mess hall and onto the deck, the boy crashes into a tall man staring out to sea through his spyglass, the same one sitting on the desk in my room. "Hello, James. What are you doing here? Go back inside this instant." Gazing upwards into the man's handsome face, the boy could sense something was wrong. "What is it, Father? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, James. The lookout has just spotted a ship on the horizon. It is sporting pirate colors, and might be an enemy. I want to evade all conflict, but it might not be possible."

The man, my father, was right. The crew of the other ship was our enemy, and was intent upon boarding us. After a long and violent battle, I had to swim away like a coward to save my own life. Reaching an island, I sat on the beach and cried, not able to rid my mind of the image of my brother being speared by a cutlass, of my sister being forced into a dress and whisked away by the captain, of his foul mouth pressing upon hers. Nor could I rid my mind of the sight of my father being goaded along the plank with his hands tied behind his back, of him turning right at the edge of the board and saying "Bad form, my dear sirs." Then turning to the ship, he says "Mors ultima linea rerum est," knowing I will hear him. _Death is everything's final limit._ With those words haunting me, I stood up and wandered the beach, until I reached the nearest village and asked where I was. "You are in the land of the Queen, long live her majesty, Victoria."


	2. Chapter 2

Suddenly I'm interrupted from my reverie by none other than Smee. Smee! The insolence of that man, entering my cabin without knocking or receiving my permission. I'm just about to tell him off when I see the expression on his face. One of absolute fear. "Oh, what now?" I wonder. "M-m-master?" he stammers. "What!" "The, the b-b-beast is outside."

_Tick. Tick._

I rush outside as fast as possible and I see the two yellow eyes of the beast staring at me, the black pupils locking on mine. I scream. Then all goes black.

Slowly, I blink open my eyes to a dark room. The first thing I notice is the sound of somebody stumbling around in the dark. "Ouch," somebody hisses, and I realize that somebody is a girl. A volley of curses follow. The somebody is a girl with a sailor's tongue. I stir, which sets off another volley of curses. Suddenly, a lamp is lit and I see the girl's face clearly, two inches from mine. I gasp, and almost black out again. The girl's eyes are so intense, and so beautiful, it's difficult not to turn away. "Hello," I whisper, and her curious, hostile stare turns into one of amusement. "'Ello?" she asks. "You've bin out fo' fo' hours 'nd the fi'st thing you say is 'ello?" she drawls in a charming accent. Or maybe I'm just biased. She continues, "Well anyway, sir, this is your home for now. You're locky we took you in, we're bursting to the seams already. But mother is so kind to street boys and castaways, especially ones who are dumped on her doorstep in the middle of the night completely knocked out. It reminds her so much of father, and how he used to be deposited in much the same way every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday night." I get the feeling that this girl has faced many problems in her young life, and I suddenly feel a strong surge of feelings for her. I am left spluttering and trying to get out of bed. She blushes, and tucks me back in. "Tut, tut, not yet, sir. Not 'till mother can find some clothes for you." I blush as well, and pull the covers up higher, right up to my nose, exposing my toes. I watch her as she bustles around the room, admiring her waistline, perfect legs and bottom. She sees me watching and blushes again, but continues to work, changing nothing in her stance except the swing of her hips. Her hair is tied up in a bun, with a maid's cap over it, and I wonder if I should ask her to marry me. That brings me up short. Where on earth did I get that blasted idea? I've just met this girl, and all she's done so far is rant and curse. What kind of introduction is that, and why do I find myself so taken with her? She turns around, and I find myself staring into her eyes.

She leans down to fix my bed covers, and I raise myself up to meet her halfway. Our noses touch, and then our mouths, and then I realize that she's clinging to me and I'm clinging to her and we don't let go. We can't. Gasping, we realize that we are right where we want to be, in each other's arms. What kind of spell is this? We've just met each other. We're only thirteen and fourteen. But we don't care.

..

Everything is black again, and I find myself floundering in the ocean of dreams. Parts of life, my life, flash before my eyes, and suddenly, out of the darkness, a face appears. Boyish, with a small dimple in both cheeks and flyaway golden brown hair peeking out from under a green cap, the face of Peter Pan taunts me even through my most precious dreams. I scream at him, and shake my fist and my hook at him. He sticks out his tongue, and then Tinker Belle appears and everything goes dark once again.

..

I blink open my eyes, for a second time. The room is now bathed in daylight, and she is busy once again. I stir, and in a flash, she's by my side. She says, "Mother knows everything, and though she doesn't approve, she hasn't said anything against it. She says that if its my destiny, she will support me all the way. I think we remind her of herself when she first met my father. You know, he was a stranger to the village too. He just turned up one day and stole her heart. She'll understand. But I haven't told her yet. I haven't told anyone but you." I look into her eyes and kiss her. Her eyes pop wide, then turn soft as she kisses me back. I sit up and she sits on the bed next to me. I caress her stomach, and she gasps. "You have to marry me, you know." "I know," I reply, and I smile. She smiles back, and I kiss her again.

Suddenly, I am drenched. I open my eyes, and I see Smee looking worriedly down at me. "WHAT IS IT NOW, YOU NINCOMPOOP?" I yell, as I jump up. How dare he wake me from those dreams? "Master, the-the beast," he stammers, and I am brought forcefully back the present. "Where is it now?" I whisper, and he just points. I turn around slowly, prepared for the worst, but I see nothing. "WHERE?" I yell again, still annoyed at having to miss all those dreams. "Master, its gone. When it saw you fainted, it swam away."

_Tick. Tick._

"You blasted liar, its still around here somewhere. I hear it constantly, even through my dreams. You'll see, its here somewhere, waiting. Always waiting."

I see my cabin again, and I see the welcoming bed. These days, beds are always welcoming. Sleep is always quick to come, because if I don't fall asleep quickly, I drink enough to pass out. Anything, anything to see those brown eyes once again.


End file.
